Cutoff machine



Nov. 7, 1950 E. F. PINNEY 2,528,779

CUTOFF MACHINE Filed Sept. 26, 1945 Ezra.- F 3/7/75 Y INVENTOR AGE ToR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1950 CUTOFF MACHINE Ernest F. Pinney, Glen Cove, N. Y., assignor to Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 26, 1945, Serial No. 618,770'

3 Claims.

of the drawing attached to and made a part of this specification.

In this drawing Figure 1 is a schematic setup of the equipment, whereas Figures 2 and 3 areviews, one in perspective and one in section, of the machine itself.

Turning now to Figure 1, we find a continuous candle rod 4 advancing from the extrusion machine through a carrier trough 5. This candle rod leaves the trough 5 and proceeds into a receptacle on a star wheel 6, of predetermined length. When it has arrived at the outboard end of star wheel 6 it contacts with and trips a trigger l which, in turn, permits a light beam from source 8 to actuate a photo-electric cell 9. The actuating target l may be arranged in any fashion, either to interrupt the beam between 8 and 9 or to open a path for the beam between 8 and 9, the latter variation being the one shown. Upon actuation, as shown later, a cut-off knife or saw H severs the candle rod and the severed portion I2 is disposed of as described later.

Turning to Figure 2 and to Figure 3, which should be read together, we find a, more detailed showing of the apparatus. The star wheel mechanism 6 supported on shaft i3 is seen to be composed of four vanes M, which together form a plurality of channels, one of which is in operating position to receive the candle rod 4. One or more finger guards i are arced around this star wheel 6 and a chute board I6 is provided so that as the severed lengths of candle rod l2 are carried around by star wheel 6, they are discharged down delivery board I6 for further handling. When the candle rod 4 is shoved home in star wheel 6, striking trigger l, the photo-electric cell 9, shown in Figure 1, actuates two solenoids ii and it. The first solenoid I1 is connected with a swinging arbor 59 having cut-off knife or saw l i. This saw is driven continuously by a motor 20. When solenoid H is actuated, this cut-off knife or saw is swung across candle rod 43 and severe from it a portion of desired length l2. At about the same time or with a slight time lag, if desired, which may be provided for in known manner in the electrical circuit, solenoid it acts to pull hook 2i thereby rotating ratchet wheel 22 which is keyed 4 to shaft [3 thus turning star wheel 6 one-quarter of one revolution and presenting a new channel between a new' set of vanes for the reception of a further portion of the candle rod. After actuation, the cutoff device II and the hook 2| may be returned to starting position by any appropri ate means, such as, for example, biasing springs appropriately mounted, such as shown for the hook 2i, or by suitably arranged counterweights, or by repositioning coils in solenoids l1 and I8, or other suitable means known to the art.

It will, of course, be realized that a good many details of the various mechanisms in Figures 2 and 3 have not been shown, the drawings having been so handled as to present only essential portions of mechanism necessary, and those in their simplest forms.

I claim:

1. A cut-off device for severing a continuously extruded rod into short lengths comprising a support means over which said extruded rod passes, a plurality of rod receiving channels arranged axially about a shaft which shaft is aligned parallel to the travel of said rod, with one such channel in registry with the said support means, a trigger disposed at the extremity of said registered channel and arranged to be upset by the extruded rod when it is run home in said channel, cut-off means normally positioned outside said registered channel and swingably mounted to be moved across the rod-entry end of said channel, means actuated by said trigger to swing said outoff means across the said channel and sever the rod, means actuated by said trigger to rotate said shaft and bring another channel into register.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, including a solenoid, electrical circuits energizing said solenoid upon upset of said trigger, and means connecting said solenoid to said cut-off means to effect swinging thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, including a second solenoid, a second electrical circuit energizing said second solenoid upon upset of said trigger, and means connecting said second solenoid to said shaft to effect rotation thereof.

ERNEST F. PINNEY.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 9, 1921 Number 

